Picking up Daniel Rothenberg's '11 grandmother, Gussie, along the way, Art and Carol Rothenberg drove from Louisville, Ky., to see their son, Daniel, graduate in atmospheric science from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) at Winter Commencement, Dec. 18. They've made the trip to Cornell many times in the three-and-a-half years it has taken Daniel to complete his bachelor's degree, but this is likely not their last trip. Daniel plans to stay at the university through June doing research before going to graduate school.

"There is no question that Daniel's set for life," said Art Rothenberg.

Despite the national economic situation, Daniel and Cornell's 734 other winter degree candidates are likely to fare quite well, whether they remain at Cornell or pursue new ventures, because Cornellians know how to respond to their challenges with creativity and flexibility, said President David Skorton in his Commencement address in Barton Hall. The candidates represented all seven of Cornell's undergraduate colleges as well as the Graduate School, the Law School and the Johnson School.

Skorton said that in a survey of Cornell's May 2010 graduates, 82 percent of respondents were either employed or in graduate or professional school; 18 percent were seeking employment, applying for an advanced degree or engaged in such activities as volunteering. This past fall, 60 Cornell graduates entered underserved urban and rural schools as teachers with Teach for America, making Cornell No. 3 for the number of graduates among large universities entering the program.

"All of this is not to downplay the very real difficulties of our current economy, nor is it to deny the reality that some of you may find your initial steps after graduation do not live up to your highest hopes," Skorton said. "But sometimes the closing of one door in life gives us a chance to notice that another one is wide open."

Like Daniel, Ann Yang '11 plans to remain on campus this spring. She is graduating with a degree in biology and society from the College of Human Ecology and will spend next semester doing research in nutrition. Lisa Gilbert '11, with a degree from CALS in communications, has already been offered a scholarship at another university. Joshua Martinez '11, graduating with a bachelor's in economics from the College of Arts and Sciences, does not have any definite plans yet, but will likely pursue finance or economics in graduate school.

In the midst of pursuing their next career steps, Skorton reminded the candidates, "give some thought to balancing the ways you live your life and the ways you spend your time." He said that in a fast-paced, technologically connected world, open time -- unplanned, unscheduled, uninterrupted time -- nourishes creativity and supports well-being.

"It is in such times that we are most creative -- and that creativity not only fuels our sense of well-being, of living a rich life -- it may even lead to a strategy, an idea that will better one's own life or other's lives as well," he said. "Those times can help us all find that open door."

Graduates were called by name as they walked across the stage and were congratulated by their dean and Skorton. After the last graduate's name was called, the audience of 2,000 friends and family sang the alma mater before rejoining the 300 attending graduates at a reception.